Learning how to add two or more numbers? This appealing, child-made board game integrates, math, science, and the visual arts—using an Earth-friendly recycled box.

• 1.

  Create your own addition game using a recycled cardboard box with a lid. Store your game pieces inside so you can play again and again. These are just a few ideas to get you started. Use your imagination to invent your own colorful game.

• 2.

  Choose a construction paper color that looks like grass, a beehive, or any place that insects might live. Cut and glue the paper to cover the outside of the box. Cover the lid separately. To make grass around the top, we fringed the edges of green paper.

• 3.

  Decorate all sides of your game box with Crayola Washable Markers and Construction Paper™ Crayons.

• 4.

  Cut construction paper shapes to make a game path from start to finish. In some of the shapes, write directions such as "Move ahead 3 spaces" or "Go back 2 spaces" to make your game exciting! Lay out the game path and glue it to the top of the box.

• 5.

  Form Crayola Model Magic® compound into random number generators by forming at least two little cubes. Press tiny dots in a contrasting color on every side. Model Magic fresh from the pack sticks to itself.

• 6.

  Create several Model Magic insects for game pieces. Make one for each player. Sculpt real or imaginary creatures—it’s up to you. Air-dry the Model Magic for about 24 hours.

• 7.

  To play, roll two number cubes. Count the dots. Add them together to find out how many spaces you can move ahead. Have fun!

Standards

• LA: Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
• LA: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
• LA: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade level topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• MATH: Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.
• MATH: Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions.
• VA: Use visual structures of art to communicate ideas.
• VA: Select and use subject matter, symbols, and ideas to communicate meaning.

Adaptations

• Possible classroom resource includes: Animal Word Problems Starring Addition and Subtraction by Rebecca Wingard-Nelson
• Students work in teams to create a game. Use Crayola Model Magic to form playing pieces for the game.
• Expand math computation challenges to word problems. Student groups compose original one and two-step word problems and challenge their classmates to solve these mentally as they work through the game. Word problems can be written on game cards. Word problem cards can be kept in a separate "challenge" pile or mixed in with the traditional computation problems.